Just got to grin and bear it
by loststolenandfound
Summary: Sam's telling a chilling tale from his childhood that explains his relationship with his father and how he knows that he won't break the promise he made to his son about coming to New York to resuce them. One-shot. Enjoy!


_**So this a one shot, exploring the thoughts that are running through Jake's head when they are all in the library and Brian has fixed the radio and discovered that the storms are worsening.**_

_**I own nothing in connection to a Day after Tomorrow apart from the film and I am incredibly sad about this. **__****___

"Man this storm is everywhere. It's hit the entire Northern Hemisphere. Europe is buried under 15 feet of snow… and they say it's going to get just as bad here. I mean, I don't think your dad's going to make it." Brian didn't want to believe it but now that he'd said the words out loud part of him figured that they, all the people in the library, were doomed because there was no way that one man could battle through the storm, ice and snow just to rescue them, even if that man was Jack Hall.

"No he'll make it. He'll make it." Sam thought back to that day when his dad became so much more than just his dad but also a hero and the one man in the whole entire world who he could rely on.

Just what made Sam so sure that his father would show up in time to rescue them from the storm?

_Sam was 7 years old. He and his mother and father had gone to Canada because Sam wanted to see the bears in the wild not cooped in such unnatural habitat like the zoos in America. _

"_Alright Sam, we've seen the bears now. Come on we gotta go before sun down. We have to get to the hostel we've got an early start tomorrow and I gotta get some kip before the drive." Jack was tired. They'd seen the bears. A family of three had walked right past their car. It'd been scary. They were in a long line of traffic which had built up because everybody was stopping their cars in order to catch a glimpse of the bears that were roaming from the forest and crossing the road. As far as Jack was concerned they'd done what Sam had wanted and so now they could return to the hostel, get a good night's rest and then head out first thing in the morning so that he'd could continue with his research. _

"_Awww but can't we just wait a little bit longer dad? I just wanna see 'em one more time?!" Sam pleaded with his dad. He needed another fix of bear sightseeing!!_

"_No Sam. They've gone now and it could be hours till another one comes along. Come on we gotta move." Jack needed to continue his research and every minute he spent arguing with Sam was another minute of valuable research time wasted!_

"_That's not fair. You never let me do anything. You always pick what you wanna do. I hate you!" Sam shouted as his father. Passengers in other cars turned to look at them not understanding what had happened. _

"_Sam, honey, do as your father asks please. And none of that cheek either young man. We're here to see the bears, yes but also for your dad's work. So come on, we've done what you wanted to do be fair and do what your father wants to do, okay? Who knows… we may even see a bear on the drive back to the hostel, but no promises okay?" Lucy tried to reason with her son, she hated the fact that Jack and Sam, the two people she loved more than life itself only seemed to get along and love each other because they were obliged to as family. It hurt her to see them arguing so much._

_So with that Sam grudgingly climbed into the back seat of the car. Ignoring every comment his parents made the whole way back to the hostel._

_After they arrived and got out the car they all headed to their rooms. Jack and Lucy were obviously sharing and Sam had his own little room just next door. _

"_So shall we just meet you when it's time for tea then Sam? That way you can go do your own thing. Just remember to take your mobile. Okay? Don't go too far though!" Lucy knew that her son wanted to be alone and not cooped up with his parents. _

_So Sam took his phone and headed out after wrapping his neck in a big wooly scarf. It was snowing outside and he trudged through it towards the woods just next to the hostel. His parents hadn't let him go in them earlier because they didn't know what they'd find there, for all they knew there were bears and his mum and dad were scared of them. Sam wasn't though. Sam loved the bears and they were the only reason why he went to the zoo back home so to see them in their real homes would be amazing. With that thought nestled at the front of Sam's mind he headed into the woods. _

_About half an hour in Sam heard a noise. Then another. And another. Until the noises just didn't stop. But Sam did. His heart was beating so fast in his chest. Thump thump thump thump thump thump thump_

_Then Sam saw them, two bears, headed right for where he was crouched. Sam may have been 7 but he did have some common sense. He was aware that the slightest sound or movement would give him away. So he prayed and prayed over and over in his head that the bears could just walk past him and hopefully they wouldn't notice the little boy crouched behind the tree. _

_All was going as well as could be expected until it all happened at once…_

_RING RING RING RING _

_Sam's phone. _

_The bears looked right at him, growled and started to move forwards, closer and closer towards Sam. _

_RING RING_

_The goddamn phone was still ringing._

_So Sam pulled it slowly out of his pocket. He knew the bears were aware that he was there but he didn't want to draw any more attention to himself even though it would make very little difference if Sam started dancing right in front of the bears. _

"_H-h-hello?" Sam answered wanting to find comfort in the voice of the person on the other end. _

"_Sam where the hell are you? We're meant to be having tea! Please tell me you haven't wandered off. We spoke to –" Jack was interrupted by one of the bears growling._

"_Sam, please tell me that isn't a bear that I just heard? Sam? SAM?" Jack was worried, incredibly worried, he needed Sam to answer him. _

"_Sam, please son, it's gonna be okay, just tell me where you are and I'll come get you. Sam?"_

"_Dad I'm in the woods. Dad there's two bears. They can see me. What do I do please Dad help me. I'm scared dad." Sam was starting to panic. _

"_I'm coming Sam, you hear me, I'm gonna come get you. You'll be alright just stay on the line and talk to me Sam. Okay, erm, tell me what else you've seen? How far did you walk and which way?" Jack needed Sam to stay calm so that he could roughly find which way Sam had walked. The sooner he found that out the sooner Sam would be okay. At this point Jack was already sprinting through the trees. _

"_Dad, I walked for maybes 30 minutes. Kinda to the right but I dunno. Dad there watching me!" Sam whispered now. He was terrified. _

"_Okay Sam listen I'm on my way. I will find you okay I promise! You hear that Sam I promise that I will find you. Everything's going to be okay now." Jack sprinted. He knew his legs were a lot longer than Sam's so it should only take him 5 minutes or so to find his son because obviously he was running a lot faster than Sam's dawdling walking pace. But the question was would 5 minutes be long enough?_

"Sam? Saaaaaaaaam? Samuel? Oi Sam!" JD flicked Sam's head. After telling the story Sam's voice had faded and he'd obviously drifted off somewhere in deep thought.

"What happened then Sam?" Laura was intrigued with this story, the one story she'd heard Sam tell about himself as a young child, at least she knew that he'd always been the way he had.

Sam came back to earth with a jolt after being flicked lightly on the head.

"Well I waited, and waited and waited. But eventually my dad shows up. He's got three other guys with him who stay back not sure what to do. But not my dad, no my dad walks right up to me, oblivious to the bears and grabs my should asking me,"

"_Sam are you okay? I'm here now, just like a promised, these guys are gonna shoot the bears, just tranqs though. Okay?" Jack was so relieved to have found his son._

"And so then they took down the bears and my dad looked at me and said, _"I will always keep my promises Sam and I promise that the next time you see a bear this closely it will be in a zoo, you hear me?" Jack vowed to always protect his son and he knew that nothing would stop him from saving him if the time came._

"Wow, looks like your dad will save us all after all!" Brian said once Sam had finished reminiscing.

With that the survivors all huddled together to keep warm in front of the fire in the library with Luther's dog sitting at their feet. They were all cold, tired and hungry but their minds had been put at ease because they knew that nothing would stop Dr Jack Hall form rescuing his son and friends!

_**Okay I sure hope somebody enjoys this story. I'm kind of overly obsessed with Jake Gyllenhaal and Day after Tomorrow at the moment. I have two other stories on the go but I decided that I was going to write a one shot just so that I can have completed a story, which will hopefully spur me into action with completing my others. **_

_**Thank you for reading and please if you have a spare minute please review! I'd be so grateful to know what you think! **_


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